


Blight Take You

by Kosho



Series: Mass Effect in the Age of the Dragon [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Archdemons (Dragon Age), Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Dalish Accent, Dalish Elven Culture and Customs, Dalish Elves, Dalish Mage - Freeform, Dalish Origin, Darkspawn, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Multiple Pairings, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Reapers, Tags Are Fun, Tags Are Hard, Tags Contain Spoilers, Tags May Change, The Blight (Dragon Age)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 21:02:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28588446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kosho/pseuds/Kosho
Summary: Beginning with the Warden in the Fifth Blight, things seem to point to what should be a routine blight with normal darkspawn, the sudden presence of a strange man and his companions is only the beginning. New darkspawn begin to show up, and then, monstrous, stronger versions, a prelude to the arrival of a very different Archdemon.
Series: Mass Effect in the Age of the Dragon [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2094810
Kudos: 4





	1. You’re A Warden, Mahariel

**Author's Note:**

> @potionsmaster66 and @dankiawarden are definitely responsible fit enabling me to write this. If it’s not great, I apologize.

Alistair frowned, gently shaking her shoulder. Lithari sat up quickly, as if awoken by nightmares. He assumed they were the same he had of the Archdemon until she gasped, panicked “Tamlen!”

“Someone you had to leave behind?” He wondered. 

“I…” initially, she hadn’t meant to tell him. That was until she realized aside from Morrigan, who seemed as likely to laugh over it than anything, he was all she had at the moment. The other wardens at Ostagar, Duncan, the King, everyone was gone. “Losing Tamlen was how I met Duncan. My clan lives, but I’ll never go back now. The blight nearly killed me too.” 

The mabari she helped save sat beside her, gingerly resting his head on her knee, whining quietly until she petted him, then he snuggled quietly and relaxed. 

“I’m sorry, I keep forgetting you didn’t join by choice.” Alistair sighed. “Hasn’t been very long either, and you’ve yet to experience anything positive about being a Warden…” 

“It’s...too much.” Lithari admitted. 

Her fingers quickly undid her braids, parts of her coal black waves hung loose, the rest she braided. Her hands moved deftly, rebraiding it almost just to keep her mind occupied. Grabbing the length of leather, she wrapped it around her hair in a high ponytail. Sad grey eyes were like jewels, the finishing touches on tawny porcelain, high cheekbones and full lips interspersed with cream colored markings that crossed her face, dipped down her throat and disappeared into leather and cloth, ridges of dark fur around her collar and shoulders, the last thing she had to remind her of home. She had stubbornly refused to trade them for anything else. When she finished, her hands folded in her lap. 

“Alistair?” She asked. 

Despite the tense, sad mood, he couldn’t help but perk up. The first time she actually said his name. The only time. Even when Duncan told her, she stuck to calling him ‘you’. She had the Starkhaven lilt, briefly mentioned only once that she was sent to the Sabrae clan from her own in the Marches. Lithari didn’t have to mention a reason, despite the bow she wielded well, she was a mage. Played it off well. Didn’t even comment on Morrigan’s spells, content to pretend she saw nothing rather than bond over it. 

“Yes?” He asked finally, realizing he hadn’t yet. 

Sighing, she stood up. The sun wasn’t up yet, but it would be soon. “Nevermind. Forget I said anything. I’m going out to hunt.” 

That was one of the last things her and Tamlen had done together, and the idea of it made her stomach feel heavy. Morrigan seemed to be the only other person who could cook, but the commentary she offered, even teasingly to Alistair made her hesitant to trust it. Alistair on the other hand, had also just lost everything much like her, but instead of keeping it in like she had tried to, he reacted by clinging more to her. 

“Let me go with you, please…” he said. 

Lithari would have refused if he hadn’t been wearing the same anguish she felt plainly on his face. He looked moments from tears at any given time, and it seemed more prudent to allow his company rather than refuse. 

“Fine. Keep up.” She muttered. 

He scrambled to his feet, following behind her. She patted her leg and the mabari, which she hadn’t named yet, followed beside her happily. She’d never had a dog before, in fact had never seen one until she saw this one at the Warden camp. The only one who truly understood what she had gone through. Both sick and dying from Darkspawn blood, both isolated from what was familiar. Lithari didn’t trust humans much, but when the handler told her of a flower that would improve his chances, she actively searched for it. Not fair in her mind that she should be offered a chance to live but not him. Lithari briefly entertained the thought of naming him Tamlen, but it hurt to say the name still. There was time to consider it, but ‘Dog’ of ‘Mabari’ was too generic to keep referring to him as. 

“There.” Lithari said

Pointing to a ridge that overlooked a small forested area not more than fifteen minutes’ walk from the camp. In her mind, that was a reasonable distance to travel. Her quarry would be something crepuscular, perhaps a few rabbits. A deer would be fine, but just the two of them carrying it would make progress slow, and there'd be too much left with less than ideal storage. 

“You’re a mage right?” Alistair asked curiously. “I saw you light the beacon with your hands. I...don’t really know. Is hunting common for mages?” 

Lithari put a finger to her lips, firing two arrows one after the other. A third came a few moments later. Alistair had seen nothing that he was certain of, some rustling? Could have been the wind for all he knew. She leapt off and went in, returning with three rabbits. 

“I am.” She said after a moment or two to consider the situation. “I learned to hunt, and cook, and many other things that make me seem like anyone else. If I didn’t and all I had was magic, I’d stand out, don’t you think?” 

Alistair thought about that. Someone with no skills but magic  _ would  _ stand out terribly. It made sense. Really clever actually, to teach their mages to hunt with bows and the like. 

“I suppose that’s true.” He agreed. 

Lithari put the rabbits safely in a special pack, slinging it onto her back. The Mabari growled, and Alistair stared. 

“You’ll get some too, be patient.” He told him. 

He didn’t back down, and Lithari turned towards where he was looking. The trees rustled, bigger movement than a rabbit, not a deer either though. Several hurlocks burst out of the trees, unusual, shambling human-like creatures interspersed with them. 

“Alistair…” Lithari said warily. 

“What are those…” he mumbled. 

He stood frozen in place, seemingly already aware something wasn’t right. 

“Move!” She shouted at him. 

He took a step back, only one, and she rolled her eyes. Useless. Lithari shoved him aside, offering a half-hearted apology after. Casting aside her bow, she frowned. Too many for most of her spells. Focused, she watched them barrel towards them, managing to effectively freeze them to the ground, but that was the trouble. Fire-based magic would only thaw them out, not enough to kill all of them. Shaking her head, she retrieved her bow.

“Let’s go.” She said. 

“We can’t just leave!” Alistair protested. 

“You’re back with us now? There’s a lot there. I can’t keep them stuck there forever.” She explained. Pointing to the odd looking creatures she continued. “I’ve never even seen those. Do you know what they do? I certainly don’t. I’m not afraid by any means, but the last time I was around something I didn’t understand, I lost Tamlen and was forced into this just to live. I’m not risking more on these things!” 

“Shoot them, use magic, something!” He suggested. 

“I don’t have enough arrows for more than three, and if I use fire, they get free, and you seem to have forgotten how to move. Unless you feel like helping me, this isn’t going to work. Maybe I should have asked Morrigan to come with. I can handle her sharp tongue if it means a useful hand.” Lithari sighed. 

While they were squabbling over it, one by one, the creatures slumped over, and she took advantage of it, shooting at them, precision strikes that finished the job. Seeing nothing unusual, she turned reluctantly, stopping when she heard a voice. 

“Not so much as a ‘thank you’?” A man said. 

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw a man standing there, nudging one of the bodies with his boot.

“I wouldn’t. Darkspawn blood is infectious. You’ll die.” She said. “Or, I guess you become a Warden, but unlucky for you, we’re the last here and we’ve no idea how to make more.” Lithari said. “Thanks.” 

Rather than let the mysterious man connect the dots between her and the magic, she reached for Alistair’s wrist, nodding to the mabari, all but dragging her companion off with her back to the camp. 

“What was that all about? He just helped us, and you take off?” He whined. 

“Did you already forget I used magic? He might have seen, it’s not hard to suspect the elf in human lands. I don’t make a habit of talking to strangers. We tend to avoid your kind if we can help it. Humans don’t seem to like to treat us well.” Lithari reminded him. “Don’t forget. Loghain is eager to see the Wardens out of the way. That’s us. We shouldn’t rush it when Flemeth was kind enough to help us.” 

Morrigan could be heard snorting in the distance at the mention of her mother, but said nothing of it. Frowning, Lithari instead dressed the rabbits, breaking up bits of what Alistair assumed was probably grass and weeds over them. He said nothing about it though, not when he already seemed to have said the wrong thing. Maybe it was stupid but when he looked at her, he didn’t see an elf, he saw his friend, a fellow Warden. Driftwood in the water to keep him from drowning in despair. He hadn’t thought maybe she just felt out of place and stuck with him…

“Lithari, I…” he began quietly. 

She looked up for a moment. Her expression softened a bit. “I know, I’m sorry. I need to learn I’m...this is just my new existence. You’re trying to help. I’m sorry, it’s been a big change for you too but I’ve only been thinking of what I had to leave behind. It isn’t fair to take it out on you.” Gesturing to the fire, she turned the meat slowly. “It’ll be done soon.” 

  
  



	2. The Will of the Gods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lithari takes an injury that keeps them at camp. Reluctantly, she acknowledges that he’s all she has to rely on now. Another strange creature appears, this time with an unusual human trailing it.

Alistair frowned at the scathing look Lithari scalded him with. His large hand tenderly held her foot, and she was a mix of things just then. Grateful for someone who looked like they were built for crushing boulders. Annoyed that she had been so graceless as to trip in the first place, and honestly? Still instinctively a little bit afraid. 

Alistair was big, but kind. Unexpectedly emotional. In her heart she sensed he was never a danger to her, and yet that wasn’t the story her brain painted, quick to remind her of the sort of things he  _ could  _ do, rather than what he  _ would _ do. Incidentally what he  _ did _ was rush to her aid, thankfully ignoring her reactions, pretended not to notice when she pushed his shoulders and pounded his chest ineffectively. He carried her back to camp, where he currently sat, holding her foot while he did his very best to attempt to patch it up as best he could. 

The Blight wouldn’t wait for it to feel better, it would be necessary to press on, but content-to-follow Alistair had made it clear they weren’t going anywhere else for the rest of the day. 

“Did those Darkspawn seem unusual to you?” Lithari asked quietly. “I’ve seen a good number of them thanks to what happened, but I’ve never seen that kind, have you?” 

Grateful for a breach in the silence that had fallen uncomfortably, he shook his head slowly. 

“I wish I had answers but I don’t know. I suppose we should be glad they weren’t much tougher than the hurlocks.” He sighed. 

“If we see more in the future, it would do us well to not underestimate them even if they seem weak. That's the basics, or at least...it was back home.” She murmured.

“I was raised in a chantry, we didn’t really learn those things.” Alistair admitted guiltily, as if she’d find that knowledge somehow burdensome. Rather, it seemed to almost make her feel sorry for him. “Compared to you, I seem not to have learned as much…”

Maybe it gave her something to keep distracted with, but she finally relaxed, nodding more to herself than anything. 

“It’ll take some time, but it sounds like there’s no shortage of that, the blight won’t end this quickly.” Lithari acknowledged. “Even if being a Warden is life for you now, you should at least know how to fend for yourself.” 

“You’re here, luckily it won’t matter if I’m terrible, I guess.” Alistair sighed. 

“Yes, I am now, but what if we get separated for some reason? Anything could happen and I’m certain Morrigan won’t take care of you.” She pointed out. 

“First thing, I’ll have to find a decent bow. Teach you to hunt, then to cook, basics first. Do your people really not teach these things?” She asked in disbelief. 

“Maybe some. The chantry provides so you never have to learn, and I think maybe nobles don’t learn either? Hmm…” Alistair lent it some thought, jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards the other end of the camp. “Apparently swamp witches do.” 

“Yes, well, it was obvious from the first meeting that Morrigan is suitably prepared, however, you’ll note, she’s not a Warden and once the Blight ends, will likely not have a reason to stay.” Lithari told him. 

Despite how obvious it seemed to her, the revelation he might one day end up alone had him looking devastated already. Shaking her head, she sighed. 

“It’s not going to happen soon, I’m sure of that.” Sighing more heavily, she gave voice to the one thing she knew but hadn’t wanted to say. It felt cruel and unfair, but the Creators clearly guided her to this path for a reason. Not her place to question the will of the gods. “I can’t go home. I have nowhere else to go, you’re all I have now. Much as I hate the circumstances, and didn’t want this, I’m not going anywhere.” 

Putting it to words like that left her stomach feeling like lead. Her eyes stung with tears she  _ refused _ to let fall. Lithari instead tried to stand, instantly regretting it, unable to stop an overly concerned Alistair from immediately helping her back down and worrying over her. 

“I was just going to grab my water.I can’t just baby my injuries.” She complained. 

Alistair turned his back to her, retrieving it. He held it out for her. “I’m not Dalish, true, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t rely on me more. I’m not going to hurt you, and beyond that, I know you can defend yourself, but I’m  _ also not going to let anyone else hurt you.”  _

  
  


Taking a drink, she propped it against her side, about to concede that maybe she could use a bit to rest, when she saw something at the edge of camp. Lithari quickly reached for her bow, never left out of arm’s reach, just in case. 

Alistair turned, realizing she was waiting to make sure it wasn’t just someone passing by a little too close. Another of those odd darkspawn… 

Loosing her arrow, she watched it fall backward midstep, and she frowned. Minutes passed, with nothing else coming through, but she didn’t trust it to be alone. They never seemed to be alone. 

Alistair exchanged tense glances with her, moving from her side long enough to get a little closer, shield up just in case. It was dead, but another that looked just like the kind they saw before. He turned again, walking backwards. Ill advised for one as clumsy as he could be but sensible. One didn’t expose their own back to an enemy. When he reached her again, he waited, reluctantly putting his shield away.

“There you are.” A voice said. 

She searched out the voice, finally landing on a human male, perhaps the same voice from before. Lithari regretted not paying more attention before.

“You found us.” She confirmed. “State your business.” 

“I tracked you down after our last encounter. Trying to track these bastards down.” He said. 

Lithari frowned at that, she hadn’t thought to cover their tracks. Then again, she hadn’t met anyone who could make use of them beyond the very plain knowledge that they weren’t animal tracks. This man was armed and armored, strangely, but that was secondary. Not a common bandit, no peasant..good quality and the skill to track them down? Skilled. A Hunter of a different sort. He didn’t seem to be in a hurry to reach for a weapon. 

Much as she didn’t particularly trust humans, this one stood out more than enough already on just those few observations to make her think it might be time to listen. 

“Sounds like we should talk.” Lithari said warily. “I have some questions of my own.”


	3. Chapter 3

Alistair stayed just a little in front of Lithari, eyeing the stranger warily. Morrigan took note, but hadn’t bothered to move, presumably because they could handle it, but thought with usual Morrigan amounts of sarcasm. She let go of her bow, hands finally coming to rest in her lap. 

“Lithari Mahariel, and you are…?” She asked. 

He walked closer, hands up to demonstrate his weapons were comfortably not within reach. She lightly tapped Alistair’s side to convince him to ease up as well. The man held out a hand to her and she stared curiously for a few moments before she shook it. 

“John Shepard.” He said. 

Lithari turned his wrist slightly from one side to the other, examining his armor. Nothing like she’d ever seen. Otherworldly in some unusual way. It looked far sturdier than the sort they had readily available. Even Loghain’s armor looked shabby in comparison. 

“You aren’t from around here, are you?” She asked finally. 

“You could say that. Haven’t quite figured out how we got here, but when we woke up, there were husks everywhere, mixed in with those things.” He explained. 

“Right, you’ve been introduced to the darkspawn. I see you didn’t die. Unsure if I had anything to do with that or not, but if you know something about those other things, then you’re someone I’d like to know.” Lithari told him. 

“I could stand to know more about these darkspawn as well. Not sure if we can get back, but assuming we can, I’d imagine you’d be the one to follow.” He said. 

“You keep saying ‘ _ we’ _ , but it’s just you?” Alistair observed suspiciously. 

“No, not at all. I got separated from some of my crew, but I’ve still got two others nearby.” He said honestly. He tilted his head back and forth curiously. “I’m guessing you’re not human?” 

Lithari laughed at that. “What gave it away? Was it the ears? The big eyes? My vallaslin?” She said, gesturing to her tattoos in case the word was not a familiar one where he was from. “I’m an elf. A  _ Dalish _ elf, not one of the elvhen, not from the city.” 

“Wild caught.” Alistair teased, whining quietly when she slapped his shoulder. “Ow, be careful, I’m sensitive…” 

“I saw you get slapped across the room by an ogre and you got back up. You’re not  _ that _ fragile.” she snorted. 

“Well, I ask because two of my crew are also not human. I didn’t want to call them over if there was a chance they might be in danger.” John explained. 

“ _ Please, call them.”  _ She all but begged. “It’ll be nice to not be the only one not human here…” 

He seemingly spoke to no one. Waiting for a response in the silence. 

“Kaidan, Garrus, Tali, sending coordinates to the current location. Rendezvous here, found someone who seems to have some answers.” He said. 

Lithari and Alistair exchanged curious, wordless glances when nothing seemed to be happening after several minutes. Shepard didn’t seem to be too bothered by the wait, glancing back over his shoulder when he heard footsteps. Too far to make out details until they were close. 

She could see another man, human. Not quite as tall as Shepard, but broader, muscular. Lithari understood almost immediately what his concern had been with the second. Possibly male? She couldn’t rightfully tell, nor even what he was, seemed...she couldn’t think of the right words, but from a pure point of observation, the jaws looked predatory, eyes sharp and focused. Omnivorous? That’s all she could gather, and it felt like putting things in boxes too much for her taste. 

The last had a clearly feminine shape, considerably fewer fingers, but otherwise a total mystery. The coverings she wore meant she couldn’t even gain anything useful from facial cues. He said two weren’t humans, was this the other? 

“Lithari, this is what I’ve found of my team, Kaidan, Garrus and Tali.” He introduced. “This is Lithari.” 

Clearly forgetting to properly introduce her companions, she pointed first to Alistair, then across the camp, pausing to gesture also to the dog at her side, reminding her anew that she still had yet to name him. 

“This is Alistair. That’s Morrigan way over there. Don’t mind her, she can be a bit abrasive, but she’s not as scary as she might seem at first. This is...I suppose my dog? He’s imprinted to me, but I haven’t thought of a name for him yet…”

The Mabari glanced up for a moment, but seemed uninterested in anything besides resting comfortably. She idly scratched his head, continuing briefly. 

“As I mentioned, the darkspawn are dangerous. Alistair and I will be fine if we’re in contact with the blood, but you won’t. They’re easy enough to kill, but if you touch it, it’s a slow, painful death. Those others? Anything to keep in mind?” she asked. 

“They used to be human. They’re pretty much synthetic now, no personality, they don’t talk. Don’t hesitate to put them down, nothing for them anymore. If you fight close up, be aware they do emit electric shocks, but typically they charge at you and  _ then _ shock. A little bit intelligent.” He explained. 

“So, generally speaking, it’s safer to fight from a distance when possible.” She said. Looking at Alistair, she sighed. “I hope you can handle a little pain.” 

“What about you?” He said as if the idea of being the only one was concerning. 

“I’m a mage, remember? I don’t get that close. Even if I use the bow, I don’t get that close. Besides, if you think I’ve never accidentally shocked myself at least a dozen times in training you’re mistaken.” She told him. 

“Do you really want to say that in front of complete strangers?” Alistair asked. 

“What are they goin’ t’do, tie me up in my sleep’n toss me to the Templars?” She asked, accent thicker and more pronounced. “Do they even know what a mage is?” 

“Not sure about mages or Templars.” Shepard confirmed. “Besides, if we’re going to be traveling together, even briefly, why would we turn you over to  _ anyone _ ?” 

“See? They don’t know. No reason to worry.” She said. “That said, if you could refrain from saying anything around others, I’d consider it a personal favor. I don’t want to get dragged off to mage prison…” 

“Pointless anyway, they don’t pay you for doing it.” Alistair joked. He shrunk at the death glare he received. “I’m kidding, please don’t hit me again, I’ll bruise.” 

“I could let Morrigan cook for you. That seems like more of a punishment.” She threatened. 

“I’m sorry! I’ll make it up to you if I have to…” he sighed. “Please keep cooking for me.” 

Ignoring him for a moment, she said “With luck, we’ll find you a way home.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I’m only including the summary for Origins, because DA2/Inquisition may take awhile to reach, and I didn’t want to put it up before I was to it. Also, I’m running on the assumption ME2/3 characters will show up in tags as relevant, but for all intents and purposes, they’re already there. I didn’t include Ashley, Joker, Wrex or Sten out of a combination of being unable to write them yet, and also because I’m unsure where they’d fit in. Also, large group.


End file.
